A Song Twice Over
by Lady of Silence
Summary: This is an AU. What happens when Sakura and Tomoyo fall for the same person? friends of the soul and enemies of the heart, when these two women compete for love, who will win?
1. Default Chapter

Hi, Hi! I'm back! and I've brought a whole new story! Complete with a new plot! I wanted to try something new in my writing, so you could say that this story is a trial and error, my first attempt at a love triangle! But don't worry I'm sure you'll be satisfied with the ending. This story doesn't have much to do with the Clow cards, this is just a story of love and loss.....well...not really the loss part. I made it as detailed as I could. Please review, I'd like to know if I'm any good at this stuff.

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Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, please don't sue me.

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Chapter 1: 

It was the usual cold day in December. Two women sat chattering in a small cafe in the corner of the petite town called Tomeda. The ice crusted window of the cafe harbored the image of two lovely women sitting on opposite sides of a coffee table drinking hot cocoa and talking about the happenings of the quaint little town. Had you stared at these women at the first glance, or had you stared at them for weeks on end, the reaction would still be the same. You felt as if you were staring at two angels sent from heaven. They were different in their beauty, but had the same ability to captivate men and turn them into gawking school boys in the time span of a heartbeat. One of them had long ebony colored hair that stopped midway on her back. Her dark purple eyes, if you stared at them long enough, you could swear you could see the depth of the ocean. Daidouji Tomoyo was the very image of night itself. The woman who sat across from her was the opposite, she represented the sun, and was equally beautiful. Her short shoulder length auburn hair was held up into a short ponytail. Her large eyes of deep green, could rival the world's finest cut emeralds, and unlike Tomoyo's eyes who you could see the ocean in, her eyes held the image of evergreen forests and serene mountains. Kinomoto Sakura, as beautiful as the flower she was named after, sat staring broodingly out the window, a small perpetual frown on her face. "Tomoyo, Toya and I are never going to get the money to keep Daddy's bed and breakfast running, let alone get the money for the repairs to it." Sakura sighed in dismay. The bed and breakfast inn that her father once owned now belonged to her and her older brother, Toya. She and her brother did everything in their power to keep the place running after their father died, alas, no one seemed to want to go to there anymore, they didn't make enough money to keep the place in good shape, and it was currently in dire need of a paint job. "I don't understand why everyone wants to go to that fancy new hotel...just because it has a pool. We have hot springs! And still no one comes!" Sakura said looking more morose by the minute. It was true in the back of their bed and breakfast were hot springs, legally belonging to the Kinomotos, they were used for relaxation, for therapeutic purposes, and for pleasure, yet no one seemed interested in going there anymore. The only people who had come were a few loyal friends like Tomoyo who wanted nothing more then to keep their business running, but still, the profits they made weren't enough to spruce up the place, or keep it going for very long. Sakura felt guilty that she had asked her friends to donate money to the place, even if it were a small, minuscule amount of money. 

Sakura sighed again. It was hard for her to keep the place running especially since her brother moved out three months ago to get married with his fiancée, Kaho Mitsuki. Yuki, who was the cook for the bed and breakfast, had quit because he said that it wasn't paying enough. He hadn't wanted to quit but he had no choice, he needed to take care of his six month pregnant wife, Nakuru. So now Sakura was looking after the Bed and breakfast by herself. Tomoyo looked in concern at her best friend. "Sakura-chan? Are you alright?" Amethyst eyes bore into emerald ones. "Hai" Sakura replied, her reverie not quite broken. "Tomoyo-chan? What's wrong with me?" Sakura asked for the millionth time. It was Tomoyo's turn to sigh. "Sakura, nothing is wrong with you" 

"So why can't I get the Inn fixed? I'm 20 years old, and of all the years I lived, I don't know who to get the Inn back in business" Sakura moaned, staring listlessly into her hot cocoa. 

"You'll think of something, I know you will." Tomoyo said with a smile meant to encourage. 

Sakura glanced at her watch, "I'd better go, Kero-chan would be getting hungry" Sakura said, referring to her Golden retriever. 

Waving goodbye to her best friend, Sakura gathered up her coat and walked outside to the snowy day. Her thoughts once again began to wander. What if she couldn't get the inn fixed? She'd have to sell it then, and find a new job. She didn't want to sell the inn, but, at the rate of business it was taking in, she didn't have much choice.....No, she would find a way to get it back in business, the inn had meant so much to her father and it was one of the places where she felt completely at home in, she couldn't give that up... not for anything. Sakura stared blankly ahead as she crossed the ice frosted street, not bothering to look whether a car was coming. So lost was she in her thoughts that she didn't see a truck coming, Sakura stopped, frozen in terror as the Truck honked it's echoing horn. Evergreen eyes widened, "Look out!" someone yelled from a distance. Suddenly Sakura felt herself being tackled out of the way. One minute she was staring at the truck coming ever closer, and the next minute, she was staring into eyes of amber-gold, messy hair, a shade darker then hers were carelessly strewn across the man's face. Sakura stopped herself from sighing in appreciation at his astonishingly good looks, given the situation she was currently in, it would seem a tad awkward. "Um....Thank you so much, you saved my life" Sakura said still staring into those chocolate brown eyes. "You should pay more attention to your surroundings" the man said in a voice that was completely male.

He got off her and started to brush off the specks of ice and snow off his black canvas duster. His dark green muscle shirt showed off a shaped physique, and his faded blue jean pants fit him as if it were made just for him. "So next time just look both ways before crossing the street, okay?" Reaching into his pocket he took out his sunglasses, to fend off the glaring sun, that had just shown itself in the clouds. "Um Thanks...Mister....?" Sakura trailed off. "Li, Syaoran, Li" he said simply before putting on his sunglasses and walking away. "Well...thank you, Mr. Syaoran Li..." Sakura said staring after his disappearing figure. Sighing she walked away, unable to concentrate on the bed and breakfast anymore. The only thing on her mind at the moment was a pair of amber-gold eyes, messy dark auburn hair and an absolutely delicious body. 

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As soon as she got to the bed and breakfast and opened the door, her golden retriever, Kero, bounded into her sight, narrowly missing her. Kero skidded to a halt inches before colliding into his owner. Glancing at her tired face, the happy dog immediately became contrite. Sitting down, he tilted his head to one side, tongue lolling out, creating that adorable curious look that only pets can create. And as always, it coaxed a small smile to grace the lovely features of his owner. Bending down, Sakura stroked her dog's head. "C'mon Kero-chan, Dinner time." Sakura said, standing back up. Kero rushed out of the room, tail wagging madly, running to the kitchen, running back and barking insistently. Sakura laughed at her dog's eagerness to be fed "okay, okay! I'm coming!" Sakura smiled, shaking her head in amusement and went into the kitchen to satisfy her dog's needs.

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Tomoyo sighed, looking out the window, she really wanted to help her best friend, but was stumped, completely void of all ideas. She was helping out her other friend Mihara, Chiharu. Chiharu was in the hospital caring for her sick grandfather, who had recently suffered a heart attack, her fiancée Yamazaki was with her for moral support, thus leaving the family restaurant unseen to. Chiharu, who had been desperate, had asked Tomoyo to help, since she didn't want to bother Sakura with her problem. "Knowing Sakura, she'd drop everything to help me out, thing is, the poor girl already has more then her fair share of worries to tend to, and usually Sakura's fair share is already a whole lot bigger than everyone else's" Chiharu had said. Tomoyo had whole heartedly agreed with her, Sakura was always putting everyone else before herself, and that was part of the reason the Bed and Breakfast wasn't doing so well. Sakura had spent the last two years on helping her brother and his fiancée, Kaho get together, and when success with her brother and Kaho had emerged, the Bed and Breakfast was fast becoming yesterday's news. Sakura would give up her happiness if it meant having someone else benefit from it. And that's the problem, Tomoyo thought. "cuse me...? Excuse me, miss?" a male voice broke her train of thought. Tomoyo flushed a deep red at being caught daydreaming in the middle of her job. "Y-yes, How can I help you?" Tomoyo asked, quickly regaining her composure. Tomoyo's breath caught at the sight of the most devilishly handsome man she had ever seen in her life, his eye were covered with his sunglasses, his hair was a messy dark auburn. He was wearing a black canvas duster, a dark green muscle shirt, and faded blue jeans. "I'd like to make a reservation for three, on Wednesday, at five o'clock" he stated. "Wednesday, five o' clock, gotcha" Tomoyo said, talking out the clipboard that was supposed to record all the reservations. "You're Chiharu Mihara?" The man asked. "No I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, a friend of Chiharu's" Tomoyo said, watching the auburn haired man. "The reservation is under your name sir?" Tomoyo asked, changing the subject.

"Yes" he answered simply.

"And your name is?" Tomoyo asked. 

"Syaoran Li" The man said taking off his sunglasses and revealing the deepest golden-brown eyes that she had ever seen. 

"So....if you're not Chiharu, then where is she?" Li Syaoran asked. 

"She's in the hospital with her fiancée, Yamazaki, taking care of her sick grandfather" Tomoyo said, mesmerized, by the sound of his voice and his deep brown eyes.

".......Yamazaki, eh? He still tell all those lies?"

Tomoyo laughed. "Yes, but dear Chiharu always stops him from going to far into them"

Syaoran smiled faintly, he had met Chiharu before, she looked like the type of girl who could easily keep her man in line. "Well I guess that's all, so I'll be going now" Syaoran said as he walked away, as quietly as he walked in. "Bye-bye...." Tomoyo's farewell landed on deaf ears as the door closed behind him.

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"Hello? Is anyone here?" a high pitched voice called from downstairs. Sakura bolted upright, a costumer? She sprinted down the stairs, and came face to face with a woman about her age. "Hi, how can I help you?" Sakura asked cheerfully. "Well, it's about time, I've been calling nearly ten times now, if the service here is as bad as the place looks, I'm taking my business somewhere else." The woman said irritably. Sakura winced "I'm sorry, I thought that I was only daydreaming the voices I heard." Sakura said, looking down at her feet "Hmpth" The woman snorted "No wonder you don't get many customers" she muttered under her breath. "I'm Li, Meiling, and I'm here to rent out three rooms" Sakura's head snapped back up, emerald eyes meeting terra cotta ones. "Li?" she asked incredulously, "Yes," the woman known as Li Meiling rolled her eyes. "Li as in the Li Clan of China, look if you're going to stand there and just stare at me, I might as well leave" 

"Oh, um, sorry" Sakura apologized hastily.

"Don't be" a new voice said from behind Meiling.

Meiling spun around and came face to face with a good-looking young man about her age, his sapphire blue eyes were seen through the glasses that he wore. Stray locks of his dark blue-black hair fell across his forehead. "Hiiragizawa! What are you doing here? I thought I said I'd take care of this." Meiling retorted, clearly unpleased at the prospect of anyone checking up on her. The man ignored her and smiled kindly at Sakura. "Please excuse her, she isn't always like this. I'm Eriol Hiiragizawa" the blue eyed man said, introducing himself, and offering his hand. "I'm Sakura Kinomoto, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Hiiragizawa" Sakura said bowing respectfully. "As you can see my father's bed and breakfast is in dire need of financial help" Sakura said a little hesitantly, "Are you sure you don't want to go to another place with...uh...higher standards? I can't offer the best business since I run the business on my own now, but if you're still willing to stay here, then, I'll be more than happy to do everything in my ability to make you comfortable" Sakura said earnestly. Eriol smiled, she was very honest with them, as well as with herself. He glanced at Meiling, who was staring in opened mouthed shock at the girl's honesty, she hadn't blamed anyone for the way the business was going, nor had she put the blame on herself, she simply stated what she was willing to do if they agreed to stay, and she hadn't begged them for donations either, such honesty as hers was hard to come by these days. Meiling found herself smiling for the first time since she walked into the bed and breakfast, and she found herself saying, very kindly "So, where are our rooms??"

Sakura smiled gratefully "Right this way" she said as her moved up the stairs to show her customers their rooms.

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End of chapter one/prologue thingy. So, how was it? Love it? Hate it? Please let me know. R&R please. Hopefully I'll be able to start the next chapter soon. 


	2. Meetings

Oh-Kay! I'm back with the second chapter. Sorry that took so long. I was very busy working on other things, and I didn't have much time to write. Well, anyway, I have some things to tell you people. Number one: Be prepared for many twists and such. Number two: Meiling isn't mean, in fact she becomes very close friends with Sakura. (Though I'm not going to give anything away....yet) And Number three: I wanted Sakura to play an instrument and paint/draw, because, well I don't know, It just seems right in the story, not that it'll be focused on much. This story is very different from the ones I've already wrote and thus it's harder to come up with good ideas so bear with me. 

Anyway here's chapter two!

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Disclaimer: I Do Not own CCs, please don't sue me.

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Chapter 2:

The melody of a violin woke Li Meiling from her sleep. Sleepily she rubbed her eyes, trying to obliterate the drowsiness still in her body. The delicious smell of coffee and bread wafted into the crack underneath her door and came to tantalize her senses. All traces of sleepiness vanished as Meiling hurried to get changed before Eriol ate the entire breakfast. 

Rushing downstairs she spotted Eriol sitting on an antique oak chair, a mug of coffee in his hand, and a plate holding a scone in the other. His head was tilted back, his eyes closed and a small smile tugged at the edges of his lips. Meiling recognized that look, that was the look that he got whenever he was enjoying something. At the moment, her traveling companion hadn't realized she was in the room. That itself was odd. Eriol _always_ seemed to be aware of his surroundings, almost nothing could surprise him. Meiling blinked. Now she understood why he didn't seem to notice her presence, Sakura was standing in he middle of the room playing the most beautiful, sad, song on an ivory violin. Meiling smiled, she did have an odd way of making people feel at home. A whine brought her attention to the ground, where she spotted a golden retriever on the floor, looking accusingly at her. "What?" Meiling demanded of the dog. "Let me through." Meiling growled at the animal that was currently blocking her path to the breakfast table. Kero deliberately sat down and glared at her, as if daring her to come close enough for him to bite.

Meiling wasn't aware that the music had stopped, or that her host and traveling companion were watching her with amused expressions, she was too busy glaring at the golden retriever. Sakura's sweet voice broke the glaring competition between woman and dog. "Kero-chan! How many times do I have to tell you,? These people are our guests! Be respectful! Now, apologize " Sakura scolded the dog. 

Poor girl, Meiling thought, she must have had a lot of hardships in her life, if she were talking to that dog as if he could understand. The dog glared at her, as if accusing her of getting his Master upset. "You brought all this on yourself, Mutt" Meiling said retorted. "Kero-chan! Apologize!" Sakura said looking from Meiling to her dog and back. 

To Meiling's great surprise, the dog's head drooped, and it uttered a pitiful sounding whine that sounded remarkably like "sorry" Kero abruptly turned away and made his way back to the kitchen, muttering under his breath. 

Sakura looked at Meiling and smiled sheepishly. " Good Morning, Meiling-san, Please forgive Kero, he doesn't take well to strangers, and he was probably upset that I haven't fixed his breakfast yet," 

Meiling grinned. "Well, I guess I can understand the mutt. I would be grumpy too if I didn't have anything to eat." 

Eriol snorted. "You're grumpy all the time, even if you did have something to eat."

"I wasn't asking you Hiiragizawa" Meiling snapped. 

"Where did your cousin go?" Eriol asked, completely ignoring the foul temper that he brought out in Meiling. "You did give him the directions to the right place, right?"

Meiling paled. Obviously having forgot to tell her cousin where they were staying. "Oh dear...."

Eriol's eyes took on a wicked sparkle, he apparently found all of this amusing. Indeed, he looked like he was trying to hold in a laugh or two. "He didn't come in last night. Did he Kinomoto-san?" Directing his attention to the lovely lady, standing there in wide eyed shock, at the thought of having someone spend the night out in the cold streets. "N-no. No one came in last night, Hiiragizawa-san, no one that I know of." Sakura still looked a tad bit dazed.

"Oh dear...." Meiling repeated, the little color that was left on her face vanished completely. She looked ready to faint. Sakura rushed to her side, placing a comforting hand on Meiling shoulder. Meiling smiled gratefully at their host. 

Eriol tried to cover a chuckle by raising his coffee mug to his lips. "Perhaps we should look for him?" Sakura suggested hesitantly. "Yes, yes, I agree." Meiling said, taking in large shuddering breathes. "Though, I'm afraid he'll be a bit mad at me" The terra cotta eyed girl commented, as Sakura led her to the plush navy blue sofa. 

"A _bit?_" Eriol asked, the unholy gleam in his eyes told Sakura that he wasn't very worried about the man at all. 

Sakura walked over to the closet and retrieved her coat, and the coats of her guests as well. She offered the coat to Meiling, who accepted it with a small murmur of thanks. Sakura glanced at Eriol, who smiled and shook his head. "I think I'll stay here just in case he finds this place by chance." 

"You're just lazy." Meiling stated, as she watched Sakura walk into the kitchen to feed her dog. "Why don't you have breakfast before we leave Meiling-san? Besides I have to wait until Kero is done eating before I can take him out for a walk. And what kind of a host would I be if you collapsed from starvation when we try to find him?" Sakura said when she walked back into the room. 

Meiling smiled. It was hard to dislike the girl when she gave you that innocent little smile of hers. "Alright..." the black haired girl sat near Eriol and began to eat.

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Syaoran growled in annoyance as he walked down the chilly sidewalk. Meiling forgot to tell him where they were staying. But luckily for him, he ran into his old friend Yamazaki and his fiancée Chiharu. They offered to let him stay in Chiharu's house. There was one extra room that he could stay in. He took the offer gratefully, thanking them profusely for letting his stay. 

Now he would track down his cousin, and wring her neck. Of course this was his anger speaking, not him. He, of course, wouldn't strangle his cousin....no matter how he wanted to. He glanced out on the street, and almost against his will, the face of the girl he'd saved flashed into his mind. Her wide, startled emerald eyes, that perfect, unflawed skin, those lovely pink lips......

He was obviously losing his mind.

Syaoran Li never chased after girls. Never once in his twenty years of life. They were always the ones who went after him. He shook his head, and jammed his hands in his pockets and came to a conclusion. This cold weather was getting to him. As much as he loved traveling, he didn't like cold places, hence the reason he never traveled to Alaska...but then again...not many people did. As he walked further down the street he spotted a Cafe, deciding it was better to get something to eat then stay outside and freeze to death he walked in and bumped into a couple making their way out. "Hey, watch it gaki!" the black haired man that said that looked to be about 27, he glared at Syaoran, who glared right back. They stared at each other, each of them trying to burn a hole through the other with their stares, until a the girl at the man's side spoke up. "I'm terribly sorry, please excuse my husband. He's been in a grumpy mood all this week, he usually isn't like this." The woman was very pretty. Her auburn hair went to her waist and her eyes were the a lighter shade than his. He blinked and smiled ruefully. "I guess that makes two of us." 

The woman smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Kaho Kinomoto" she motioned to her husband "And this is my husband, Touya"

Touya didn't seem to be paying attention to him. He was looking behind him at another couple. "They're here Kaho. Let's go." Touya put he arm around his wife's shoulders and led her outside. 

Syaoran watched them go with vague interest. He shook his head and walked into the Cafe to buy himself some breakfast.  
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Sakura and Meiling walked along the road to the park in a comfortable silence. Kero seemed to find joy in finding every frozen puddle and running across it to see if he would slip, which he often did, landing on his butt and looking confused. Sakura shook her head and smiled, Kero always found ways to make her laugh. "Does that mutt _always_ do things like that?" Meiling asked, chuckling as the dog landed on his face with his butt sticking up. "Not always" Sakura replied. "But he gets restless and, well, he has to find a way to enjoy himself."

"Ah.....the boring life of a dog.....isn't that right mutt?" Meiling said glancing at the dog who stopped sliding on the ice long enough to glare at her. Ignoring the dog, Meiling switched her attention to the emerald eyed beauty at her side. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you running your Bed and Breakfast alone?" 

Sakura sighed. "My brother recently got married, and I guess that's part of the reason the Bed and Breakfast is falling apart..." Seeing the look on Meiling's face she added hastily "Oh, no, it wasn't his fault. Actually, it was my fault...partly. I spent the last two years playing matchmaker to my brother and I wasn't paying very much attention to the Bed and Breakfast. I really didn't think that it would turn out as bad as it did. I mean, with the new hotel opening, not very many people found the Bed and breakfast very appealing anymore." 

"Can't you just fix it?" Meiling asked. 

"I wish I could. But It doesn't get as many people coming there. I have a part time job playing the piano at a local Cafe and I make and sell paintings...but the money I make from that is for Kero and me."

Meiling tilted her head thoughtfully. "Why not sell that Ivory Violin of yours? It looks very valuable."

Sakura's smiled slightly. "Oh. I couldn't."

Meiling blinked. "You couldn't? Why not?"

"That violin was given to me by my mother before she passed away. It took them seven years to make that violin. It's the only thing I have left of my mother." Sakura replied a little sadly.

"Oh...I'm sorry...I didn't know." Meiling said sincerely. "How old were you when she died?"

"Three." 

Meiling sighed. "I'm sorry"

"It's alright. What I'm really afraid of is that someone might try to buy the bed and Breakfast, and I won't have the power to stop them."

Sakura looked so forlorn that Meiling wanted to help in any why she could, but before she could say so, there was a yell.

"**_Meiling!_**" 

Meiling inhaled sharply. She grabbed Sakura's elbow and attempted to steer her in the opposite direction. "Maybe looking for him wasn't the greatest idea." She muttered to Sakura. 

Sakura blinked, then giggled as she allowed herself to be dragged away.

"Oh no you don't!" the man's voice growled. 

Meiling gulped. She turned around and plastered a cheerful smile on her face. "Well hello cousin. Fancy seeing you here" she said, her grip on Sakura's elbow tightened almost unbearably.

Sakura's eyes widened. Her heartbeat quickened. Her breath became shallow.

It was him. Mister Syaoran Li. The man who had saved her yesterday. His body was radiating anger, but his voice was calm with just a hint of sarcasm. "Fancy indeed. Tell me cousin _dear,_ did you forget to tell me something?"

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Mwa Hahahahahahahahaha! end of chapter two! Sorry for making Meiling seem a little weak. She isn't really though. She just needed to be a little weak in this chapter to keep the story going. I was tired of everyone making her so mean so... I decided to change that. Tell me what you think so far. Like it? Hate it? Please review. I want to see if I was making some of them out of character. And if I did, I didn't mean to. And sorry that Tomoyo wasn't in this chapter, I'll put her in the next one. 


	3. Complications

Alright. I'm here and chapter three is in tow. Thank you to all those people who were kind enough to read and review my story, you truly have inspired me to keep writing and not completely give up on this story. 

For all those who reviewed, this is for you. Read and Enjoy.

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Disclaimer: I do not own CCS, it belongs to Clamp, please don't sue me.

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Chapter 3

Tomoyo glanced at the clock as she groggily sat up in bed. Eleven o' clock. She'd slept in. It wouldn't have bothered her as much that she did, but somehow, today was different. She had a feeling that a certain brown haired, chocolate eyed man had something to do with it. 

Ever since yesterday, when he'd walked in and set a reservation at Chiharu's restaurant, he was never far from her mind. She sighed and tried to block out that knee-weakening smile of his when he talked about Yamazaki. They were obviously old friends, but now that she thought of it, Yamazaki had never mentioned him. And she wondered why that upset her, it shouldn't, but it did.

With a frustrated groan, she forced herself to move out of her bed and take a shower. It was going to be a long day.

Ten minutes later, she found herself standing in front of the mirror trying to find something suitable to wear for today. That in itself agitated her even more. Tomoyo Daidouji rarely debated what to wear. It was always, find the most comfortable thing to wear, and she was out the door in less then five minutes.

Tomoyo was telling herself that it really didn't matter what she wore. She'd probably not even see him again. Despite what her mind told her, her traitorous body just kept on holding outfit after outfit in front of her, and grudgingly her mind judged whether the outfit was too last year or too suggestive, or too forward. Tomoyo growled, it would be a very, _very _long day indeed.

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"Well?" Syaoran snapped. Irritated that his cousin would take so long to answer him.

Meiling attempted to concoct a lie. "Well, I...." she trailed off, cleared her throat and tried again. "You see......it went like this....." She trailed off again. 

So much for that idea.

Sakura pressed her fist to her mouth and tried to hold in a snicker. It was obvious that Meiling couldn't win. Syaoran might be the best looking guy she'd ever come across, but apart from his good looks, he was also _very_ intimidating. He towered over Meiling, hands crossed against his broad chest, his handsome face in a scowl. Sakura had a feeling that Li-kun wasn't challenged by anyone very often, and when he was, he'd probably reduce the challenger to a trembling idiot that could only mutter about funeral plans. He also didn't look like the type of person that laughed very much. It made him seem very aloof and mysterious, she wondered briefly about how many hearts he had broken in his lifetime, then she mentally slapped herself, she was here for Meiling's support....at least, she thought she was. 

Sakura sighed, being around Li Syaoran certainly made it harder for her to walk straight, much less think that way. He was the type of guy you were always aware of. And being aware of a guy like Syaoran twenty four-seven made her a little bit self conscious.

Sakura gave herself a little shake before turning her attention to the people in front of her, seeing the two cousins in an all out argument. She glanced at her dog, he was sitting down, watching in vivid interest as Meiling and Syaoran shot insults at one another. Sakura's eyes were drawn from Kero to down the street. Tomoyo was there, walking, hands stuffed into her coat as her eyes had a far away look in them, like she wasn't quite sure where she was heading or why. 

Feeling as if she wouldn't be missed by two people who were apparently preoccupied, she gently peeled of Meiling's hand from her elbow and slowly made her way to her best friend.

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Tomoyo's eyes were fixed on the snow encrusted sidewalk, she was still mentally screaming at herself, for taking nearly a half an hour to dress. She had looked at every piece of clothing she owned, and in the end, had ended up getting frustrated, and throwing on something that would fend of the cold weather, when she had left her apartment, it was in a total disarray, clothing draped around every thing, but she was too preoccupied to care. "Tomoyo!" a familiar voice called. Tomoyo's head snapped up. Sakura was heading toward her, Kero at her side. The auburn haired girl was grinning that infectious grin of hers, while her dog bounced happily at her side. Tomoyo's eyes shifted to two people behind her best friend. Her breath caught. Li Syaoran was standing there, a beautiful ebony haired woman standing in front of him, her ruby eyes burned in anger. Tomoyo's eyes narrowed. His wife? Who else could it be? "Tomoyo!" Sakura's cheerful voice penetrated her thoughts. "Good morning!" she chirped. "Morning" Tomoyo muttered, less enthusiastic as waves of unexplained jealousy at the person talking to Li-kun washed over her. 

Sakura's head tilted to one side. "Is something wrong?" she asked. When Tomoyo didn't answer, she followed her friend's gaze. Sakura grinned when she saw where her friend's stare was directed at. "Funny, huh? Meiling-san doesn't stand a chance against Li-kun." Tomoyo's head snapped up "Meiling? That's her name?"

"Yes" Sakura was still looking at the arguing cousins "She's his cousin. And from the looks of things, she'll be picked off her family tree if things keep going the way they do" 

Tomoyo blushed. _Cousin?_ She felt embarrassment replace the jealousy. She was jealous of his _cousin?_ Tomoyo cleared her throat, relieved that Sakura, hadn't known what she was thinking. "Tomoyo?" Sakura asked, emerald eyes worried, "You're bright red....do you have a cold?" 

"Ahhhh.....um, no...." Tomoyo said, turning a brighter shade of red.

Meiling came near them, still fuming. "Oooh That cousin of mine is soooo stubborn!" She said to no one in particular. To Sakura she said "He'll meet us back at the inn." then shook her head, "C'mon before he starts picking on Eriol because he didn't come with us...not that Eriol will be effected much, I'm starting to think that Eriol is made of steel. I don't think _anything_ can faze him." she said, with a touch of envy in her voice at the thought of not flinching at her cousin's wrath. It was then that she realized that someone else was there. She blinked. "Oh...I'm sorry" Meiling bowed. "I'm Li Meiling, cousin of that bull-headed man you saw me talking to." Sakura giggled at the nickname that the ruby eyed woman used to affectionately describe her cousin. Tomoyo cracked a smile, "I'm Daidouji, Tomoyo," Tomoyo bowed as well, "Pleasure to meet you." Tomoyo said, along with a silent apology at the not-so-nice thoughts she had thought on the terra cotta eyed woman, before knowing that she was his cousin, and not wife.

Tomoyo looked at her watch. "Oh dear, um....it was nice meeting you Meiling-sama, but I'm late for work."

Sakura looked confused "Tomoyo, it's Sunday, you don't have work." 

Tomoyo bowed her head, looking guilty, "Chiharu asked me to help work at her family Restaurant, you know what a hard time she's going through, what with her grandfather at the hospital and all, And besides, it's only a temporary job."

Sakura frowned. "Why didn't she ask me to help?"

The blue-eyed girl sighed, "Sakura, you worry to much about other people, Chiharu didn't want to ask you because you have to much to do already, there's that charity bake sale that you agreed to help Rika with on Monday. Then you promised your brother and Kaho that you'd stop in to say 'Hi' on Tuesday and then on Wednesday, Naoko asked you to come to the book store with her at One 'o clock to see if the book she published is out yet, and on Thursday --"

"Okay, Okay! I get the point" Sakura grumbled. "I still don't see why I can't help"

Meiling looked on in amusement. "Sakura-chan are you trying to work yourself to death?"

Sakura sighed, knowing she was defeated. "Alright, I'll see you sometime next week Tomoyo, okay?"

Tomoyo grinned, "Roger that. Over and out." She mock saluted them then walked away.

Sakura turned to the Black haired girl. "Should we go back now?" she asked.

Meiling grinned. "No, I think I'll annoy my cousin just a little bit more today." She looked to see if Tomoyo was completely out of earshot then gave a little pout at Sakura. "You shouldn't have left, you know, I really could have used your help with my cousin."

Sakura giggled. "And what, pray tell, would I have said to him? I probably would have gotten all tongue tied around him and I probably would have started to chatter endlessly. Would you really want him to have the impression that I'm a blithering idiot?" 

Meiling laughed "I guess you're right.....all girls kind of get like that around him. They get like that around Eriol too, but he makes them feel more comfortable around him after a conversation. Syaoran just glares at you....and that isn't very comfortable....but enough about them, lets go get something to eat."

"I wonder.....what are you doing here?" Sakura asked

Meiling looked at her, confused "What?"

Sakura flushed. "Um...well, you said you were here on business...I was just wondering what kind of business, that's all'

Meiling looked thoughtful. "To tell you the absolute truth, I don't know either. Syaoran just dragged me along because I keep his business papers organized. The only other person who would know what was going on is Eriol, but they've both been very hush-hush about this entire thing. The only other thing I know is that Syaoran's business associates wanted me to pick out _your_ Bed And Breakfast to stay at. 'When you get to Tomeda, stay at the Starlight Rose Bed and Breakfast. It's run by the Kinomoto family, make sure that you stay there.' And that's what I did."

Sakura looked uncertain. "Why mine? Why not that other hotel that opened?" Sakura asked.

Meiling shrugged. "I don't know."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Syaoran walked into the tattered looking Bed and Breakfast. Inside he spotted his business partner and good friend Eriol Hiiragizawa, sitting lazily on the sofa reading a thick Mystery novel. "I can see you were worried about me." Syaoran said sarcastically, as his friend didn't even look up to acknowledge his arrival. "I knew you'd live." was the blue-eyed man's wry answer, still not looking up from his book. 

Syaoran sighed and plopped himself down on the armchair to the right of the sofa, he propped his feet on the coffee table in the middle of the room and leaned his head back. "I went over the business plans. Everything is set, all I need is for permission to start."

Eriol put down his book. "I don't know about this Syaoran, You haven't properly met Kinomoto-san. You can't possibly as her to sign the Bed and Breakfast over to you, it's the only thing left she has of her father. You can't possible ask her to give that up."

Syaoran winced, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt wash over him. He shook it off. He had nothing to feel guilty of. Yet. "Look at this place Eriol, it's falling apart." he said, motioning around him. 

Eriol's eyes were pleading. "Don't do this Syaoran,"

Syaoran shrugged, " I don't have a choice. If I don't, my family will be the ones to suffer the consequences."

"But--"

"I don't like this any more than you do Eriol. But with or without her consent, This building _will_ be demolished."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Bum Bum BUUM!!!! Now we know why Syaorn came to Tomeda! To destroy Sakura Bed and Breakfast! what will happen? stick around to see. and tell me what you think. 


End file.
